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  #61  
Old Sun 29 June 2008, 12:36
Robert M
Just call me: Robert
 
Lac-Brome, Qc
Canada
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Ah Dassiesfontein
Woawy woaw, now that is a very nice place to go indeed. Some nice photos to look at from that web site.
Anyone in your “neck of the woods” in need of a “talented” woodworker for a short trade-guild exchange period.
Very nice place to be !!
Robert
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  #62  
Old Sun 29 June 2008, 13:18
Gerald D
Just call me: Gerald (retired)
 
Cape Town
South Africa
Alan, I found the "missing" dimension ...... racks needs to be 300 long and not 280. (Well, you did get 250 stroke, so you can't really complain ). I see that Kobus sommer stuck all his leftover rack behind the slide - that's not a bad idea either!
http://www.mechmate.com/forums/showt...&postcount=159
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  #63  
Old Sun 29 June 2008, 22:40
Kobus_Joubert
Just call me: Kobus #6
 
Riversdale Western Cape
South Africa
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I had the extra rack, so just used it...Boer maak 'n Plan...
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  #64  
Old Mon 30 June 2008, 04:32
hennie
Just call me: Hennie #23
 
Roodepoort JHB
South Africa
Gerald what is the substitute for gauge plate?

Phoned all the steel supplyers in my area and walked straight into a wall.
Some of them don`t know the product even tried P.E. but no help.
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  #65  
Old Mon 30 June 2008, 05:12
Gerald D
Just call me: Gerald (retired)
 
Cape Town
South Africa
100 x 6 mild steel flate bar, provided that it is straight over that short length. The life will be a bit shorter that that of gauge plate. You might 5 years instead of 10 years.

Promise you that you will get gauge plate in PE. That town is vrot with toolmakers for the motor industry. Gauge plate for a toolroom is like chipboard for a cabinetmaker - it is a staple diet.

Edit to add:
Sanderson Steel, 041 453 9645, have stock, R249.40 excl.
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  #66  
Old Mon 30 June 2008, 12:01
Alan_c
Just call me: Alan (#11)
 
Cape Town (Western Cape)
South Africa
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Rack and upper strut mount modified:

a) made rack longer - 315mm
b) placed first mounting hole 45mm from top end of rack
c) moved upper strut bracket down by 15mm

mod pinion up.jpg mod pinion down.jpg
full travel with equal amount of rack to spare

mod slide up.jpg mod slide down.jpg
slide almost in centre of middle pair of wheels 67mm above spider, slide at lowest point 187mm below spider = 254mm of travel (10")

That looks better
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  #67  
Old Mon 30 June 2008, 12:37
Gerald D
Just call me: Gerald (retired)
 
Cape Town
South Africa
If it wasn't for the limitation imposed by the gas spring, there would be a lot more travel offered by the rack.

Can't stop admiring the photography!
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  #68  
Old Thu 17 July 2008, 05:23
Lex
Just call me: Johan #56
 
Empangeni KwaZuluNatal
South Africa
The Z-slide tube, drg 10 40 360 ask for a 50x25x 3 wall thickness. I am having difficulties in sourcing the 3mm wall, cut to size off 490+10. My supplier can only sell it to me in 6 meter lengths.
Gerald, will the same profile with 2mm wall have to much twist in it.( or maybe not stiff enougth) ?
I saw a photo somewhere of a bend up lipped 'u'. That could work?
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  #69  
Old Thu 17 July 2008, 06:03
Gerald D
Just call me: Gerald (retired)
 
Cape Town
South Africa
Lex, there is a big difference in stiffness/strength between 2mm and 3mm wall in this case. You also need to tap threads into it. If you really must take 6 meters, use the rest in the underside of the table.
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  #70  
Old Fri 16 January 2009, 07:04
jhiggins7
Just call me: John #26
 
Hebron, Ohio
United States of America
I'm wondering how folks have fabricated the Z slide.

I've checked into tool steel. Sort of expensive, about $40 for a 1/4" x 4" x 18", but not out of the question. Wouldn't want to mess up a piece, though.

I see comments that tool steel can't be milled, must be ground. Too short to use the skate. I see that Gerald used the table saw. What have folks done that you feel worked well?

I see that some folks have used a "flat" piece of mild steel. Have you used the skate? Did you have it hardened?

I would appreciate any input on what has worked and what hasn't worked for making this piece.

Regards,
John
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  #71  
Old Fri 16 January 2009, 07:44
Gerald D
Just call me: Gerald (retired)
 
Cape Town
South Africa
Quote:
Originally Posted by jhiggins7 View Post
. . . I see comments that tool steel can't be milled, must be ground. . .
Not true - it mills, drills, taps beautifully. Tougher than mild steel, but no problems with normal cutting tools in standard mill or drill press or hand tapping or filing or sanding.
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  #72  
Old Fri 16 January 2009, 07:45
domino11
Just call me: Heath
 
Cornwall, Ontario
Canada
John,
Some have used mild steel and the skate, some have used mild steel and the superior rails, (which is the way I am planning on going) and others have used the tool steel and used the skate ( by tack welding some donor angle iron to extend the tool plate so the skate would work) this was done by a member who is no longer around though.
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  #73  
Old Fri 16 January 2009, 08:28
Gerald D
Just call me: Gerald (retired)
 
Cape Town
South Africa
Mine (tool steel/gauge plate) were bevelled on a milling machine and finished with draw filing and emery (sand) paper.
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  #74  
Old Fri 16 January 2009, 12:37
jhiggins7
Just call me: John #26
 
Hebron, Ohio
United States of America
Post #3, in this thread, quoted below, is where I picked up the idea that it couldn't be milled. Glad to hear I was mistaken.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Brian Backner View Post
For those stateside, you might consider Starrett precision ground oil hardening flat stock (tool steel). It would need to be ground to shape, i.e., it can't be milled, but it has the advantage of tremendous strength, very precise tolerances (typically 0.0001"/ft) and is widely available...
If you welded on a donor strip, wouldn't you mess up the hardening?

I don't have a mill. Would grinding it on the table saw with an abrasive blade work? Or, do I need to get someone to mill it for me?

Regards,
John
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  #75  
Old Fri 16 January 2009, 12:43
Gerald D
Just call me: Gerald (retired)
 
Cape Town
South Africa
John, he changed his mind on the machineability in his next post.

I did grind a sample on a table saw - it does work. The biggest issue is to decide whether you are happy to do that to your saw and whether you can get a grind disk that is suitable.
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  #76  
Old Fri 16 January 2009, 13:07
jhiggins7
Just call me: John #26
 
Hebron, Ohio
United States of America
Very helpful, thanks.

So, Gerald, with the draw file, were you just soothing the milled bevel? If more than that, how did you control the angle of the draw file to prevent over cutting into the bevel. It seems to me that the most important dimension of the slide would be the distance from one bevel to the other as seen by the V-rollers of the spider. So if there was a gouge or raised place in one of the bevels, this equi-distance would be affected and cause the slide to move slightly left or right as it is traverses up and down through the spider. And since the spindle is on the end of the Z slide, this unwanted motion would be amplified.

Am I just worrying over nothing here?

Regards,
John
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  #77  
Old Fri 16 January 2009, 22:15
Gerald D
Just call me: Gerald (retired)
 
Cape Town
South Africa
The draw filing was only to "sooth" as you say (maybe you meant smooth). Only to remove the small tool chatter marks left by my milling guy - I didn't tell him I wanted it smooth.
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  #78  
Old Sat 17 January 2009, 06:15
jhiggins7
Just call me: John #26
 
Hebron, Ohio
United States of America
Thanks Gerald, yes I meant smooth. And iespell checker didn't help. I guess there's no help for a confused brain.

Regards,
John
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  #79  
Old Wed 01 April 2009, 12:28
Oleks
Just call me: Oleks
 
Poltava
Ukraine
chosing flat stock for Z slide

Hi all
Is it a big difference for using O1 Tool Steel, Hardness: Rockwell B85-B96, Width tolerance +0.005" from McMaster-Carr pn 9516K91 (www.mcmaster.com/#9516k91/=19aq5f) compared to mentioned here Starrett precision ground oil hardening stock (hardness: 230 Br, Width tolerance is +0.0001") from Wttool.com? For me 9516K91+delivery will cost some $30 less...

Also another case - will A2 tool steel plate 0.3125"thick go instead of 0,25"?

And third possible case: as per drowings the plate's length is 18" or 500mm because of standart stock sizes, but how short it may actually be for Z stroke 250mm?
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  #80  
Old Wed 01 April 2009, 13:01
Gerald D
Just call me: Gerald (retired)
 
Cape Town
South Africa
Mild Steel is about Rockwell B70 (Brinell 120)
O1 Tool steel: Rockwell B90 (Brinell 185)
A2 tool steel plate : Rockwell B95 (Brinell 210)
Starrett precision ground oil hardening stock Rockwell B98 (Brinell 230)

You will have to decide if you have the tools to cut the steel.

Plate 0,3125" thick can be used instead of 0,25"

The plate's length is also decided by the mounting of the gear rack. There is very little that you could reduce the length. You can cut away the side opposite to the rack if you want to reduce mass.
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  #81  
Old Wed 16 September 2009, 12:19
vanja.ivancic
Just call me: vanja #84
 
mortara
Italy
Ihave the same problem. The type of my wheels is Pacific Bearings
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  #82  
Old Tue 22 September 2009, 09:09
Robert M
Just call me: Robert
 
Lac-Brome, Qc
Canada
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Little survey I’d like to get….
I’ m surprised at the price differences I’m getting out of a few (4) local machining shops I’ve requested a quote for the Z-slide steel plate.
I’m requesting it without any holes, just the chamfer on both side of the plate for the DualVee bearing and getting prices from 125$ to 550$ Can. ( machining work in US or Can is +/- at par in value ).
Can some of your guys tell me how much you paid for this, material included?
Thanks
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  #83  
Old Tue 22 September 2009, 10:02
sailfl
Just call me: Nils #12
 
Winter Park, FL
United States of America
Robert,

You know I used preground rails and I think most every one else that ground their X and Y rails also ground the Z Slide.
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  #84  
Old Tue 22 September 2009, 16:25
smreish
Just call me: Sean - #5, 28, 58 and others
 
Orlando, Florida
United States of America
Robert.
On my two builds, I bought the hardened tool steel stock and then clamped runoff material the same thickness and ground away like the rails.
It was very quick and easy to do. All the work was done in a shop vise and the grinding skate that we all have come to love and adore! LOL

I wouldn't go to a machine shop at all....just grind away.

Sean
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  #85  
Old Tue 22 September 2009, 21:01
Robert M
Just call me: Robert
 
Lac-Brome, Qc
Canada
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Sean, Nils… Some guys here opted theirs done at a machine shop.
I also understand many did theirs with the great skate & grinder set up
But I'm just trying to buy time wile being frugal, my thought after getting this shop quote at 122$, material incl, was it may be worth all my efforts to make one
For me, a 4” x 36” in A2 flat bar will cost me the same ( +/- 125$) out of some local steel vendors.

So…since I’m painfully discuvering that I just may lack time in my project to meet my goal date ( oct 26)…. I figured even for a few bucks more it can/will help me….. It’s also called delegate
But obviously not at a substantial cost increase !!
Anyhow, I'm still curius to see what those who got theirs machined by a shop, how much they got charged for
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  #86  
Old Wed 23 September 2009, 04:54
sailfl
Just call me: Nils #12
 
Winter Park, FL
United States of America
Robert,

I don't think I paid more than $25 for my Z slide plate. That price seems high. Don't you have any surplus or places that sell drops. If I am correct, it would be cheaper for me to buy it and ship it.
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  #87  
Old Wed 23 September 2009, 06:26
Robert M
Just call me: Robert
 
Lac-Brome, Qc
Canada
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Nils….Thanks for the offer…..
BUT from little expertise I have in this steel field (called soooo many steel distributors), I can tell at 25$ is must be (and pretty sure it can only be) std mild steel.
O1, A2 or D2 tool steel is LOSTS more, 3 to 5x more….
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  #88  
Old Wed 23 September 2009, 06:33
sailfl
Just call me: Nils #12
 
Winter Park, FL
United States of America
Robert,

I will call my source today and see what the price is.
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  #89  
Old Thu 24 September 2009, 20:30
Greg J
Just call me: Greg #13
 
Hagerman, New Mexico
United States of America
Robert,

I had my Z slide plate fabricated from a local shop at a cost of approx. $100. Material included, no holes, no paint, etc.

I like to think my time is worth more than what I pay someone else to do a job.
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  #90  
Old Thu 24 September 2009, 21:06
Robert M
Just call me: Robert
 
Lac-Brome, Qc
Canada
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Little survey I’d like to get….

Greg, thanks for your input & reply... I think alike , for +/- 100 mat. incl...it's not worth my time, trouble & risk missing it !
Rails...that's a hloe other story... It really pays DIY

Anyone else sub this plate !??
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